The Awesome Oscillator for Wesfarmers Ltd (WFAFF) is showing a five day consistent downtrend, signaling building market momentum for the shares.  Author and trader Bill Williams created The Awesome Oscillator Indicator (AO) and outlined the theory and calculation in his book “New Trading Dimensions”.  The indicator shows the difference between two simple moving averages that can help define moving strength of the market. Bill Williams developed this indicator on the basis of earlier existed MACD and made a number of changes. The Awesome Oscillator subtracts a 34 period simple moving average (SMA) from a 5 period SMA. It illustrates what’s happening to the market driving force at the present moment.  The interpretation is similar to MACD including buying when the oscillator crosses through the zero line to the upside and selling when it crosses back below. Of course, this will result is many false signals in flat or choppy markets.  As with most indicators, the AO is best used alongside additional technical signals.

Investing in the stock market offers the potential for big returns. On the flip side, investors can also experience major losses when trading equities. Investors are typically trying their best to maximize returns while limiting losses. Figuring out the best way to do this is no easy proposition. There may be periods where everything seems to be working out, and the returns are rolling in. There may be other times when nothing seems to be going right, and the losses start to pile up. Nobody can predict with pinpoint certainty which way the market will shift in the future. Preparing the portfolio for multiple scenarios can help the investor stick it out when the waters get choppy. Having a properly diversified stock portfolio may help investors ride out the turbulence when it inevitably takes control of the market.

Sharp investors may be looking to examine additional technical indicators such as the the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. Developed by Larry Williams, this indicator helps spot overbought and oversold market conditions. The Williams %R shows how the current closing price compares to previous highs/lows over a specified period. Wesfarmers Ltd (WFAFF)’s Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R is sitting at -100.00. Typically, if the value heads above -20, the stock may be considered to be overbought. On the flip side, if the indicator goes under -80, this may signal that the stock is oversold.

Another technical indicator that might serve as a powerful resource for measuring trend strength is the Average Directional Index or ADX. The ADX was introduced by J. Welles Wilder in the late 1970’s and it has stood the test of time. The ADX is typically used in conjunction with the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) to help spot trend direction as well as trend strength. At the time of writing, the 14-day ADX for Wesfarmers Ltd (WFAFF) is noted at 28.06. Many technical analysts believe that an ADX value over 25 would suggest a strong trend. A reading under 20 would indicate no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal.

Investors may use various technical indicators to help spot trends and buy/sell signals. Presently, Wesfarmers Ltd (WFAFF) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -318.57. The CCI was developed by Donald Lambert. The assumption behind the indicator is that investment instruments move in cycles with highs and lows coming at certain periodic intervals. The original guidelines focused on creating buy/sell signals when the reading moved above +100 or below -100. Traders may also use the reading to identify overbought/oversold conditions.

Taking a look at other technical levels, the 3-day RSI stands at 6.22, the 7-day sits at 15.95 and the 14-day (most common) is at 23.68. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is an often employed momentum oscillator that is used to measure the speed and change of stock price movements. When charted, the RSI can serve as a visual means to monitor historical and current strength or weakness in a certain market. This measurement is based on closing prices over a specific period of time. As a momentum oscillator, the RSI operates in a set range. This range falls on a scale between 0 and 100. If the RSI is closer to 100, this may indicate a period of stronger momentum. On the flip side, an RSI near 0 may signal weaker momentum. The RSI was originally created by J. Welles Wilder which was introduced in his 1978 book “New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems”.

Keeping an eye on Moving Averages, the 50-day is 33.63, the 200-day is at 30.89, and the 7-day is 32.27 for Wesfarmers Ltd (WFAFF). Moving averages have the ability to be used as a powerful indicator for technical stock analysis. Following multiple time frames using moving averages can help investors figure out where the stock has been and help determine where it may be possibly going. The simple moving average is a mathematical calculation that takes the average price (mean) for a given amount of time.